Short Film Research: Gone Goodbye

"Gone Goodbye" 2009 Keith Rivers



* Gone Goodbye is a film consumed by the narration and monologue of a male protagonist character talking to his wife and we are to imagine it's his voice reading the letter he has left her. He reads about leaving his partner Catherine.

* In terms of camera work the piece is very inspiring in terms of the first establishing shot tracking the truck. The piece was made by an amateur film maker but he wanted this tracking shot that may only have been available with a crane. However he overcome this budget problem by strapping his camera to a remote control helicopter and following the car. This enabled him to get the birds eye view tracking shot of the truck as it drives and pulls into the car park.

The birds eye view tracking shot was achievable by filming with the camera attached to a remote control helicopter, ABOVE YouTube comments about the shot

* In terms of editing the use of dissolves throughout the film also make it seem as though we are in the narrator's head. The dissolves between scenes make it almost dream like, as if we're in his imagination.

* Sound is important for displaying the mood in this piece. The non-diegetic soundtrack is a soft reoccurring piano that depicts the sad, sombre mood.

* Mise en scene is also a relevant element in this film. The appearance of the bright yellow balloon contrasts to the sad mood of the film as if happiness just walked into the film.

* This break in mood is also confronted in sound when the balloon pops. The sound of this stands out in the film and the facial expression on the male protagonists face would suggest this too.

* The film addresses issues of heartbreak and loneliness. The male protagonists speaks of never loving Catherine (his wife) and him walking through the deserted beach reinforces his loneliness similar to that of Petr in Waiting for The end of the World.

* In terms of narrative there is a pattern i have found with the short films I have researched. The use of a narrative voice over in films such as: 'Gone Goodbye', 'Waiting for the end of the world' and 'Courier' helps to push the film along. A Narrative helps to address the themes, issues and moods of the piece much quicker. When films such as Courier and WFTEOTW display a small slice of life film the narrative also helps to empathise with the characters in the short segment we see of their lives.

* If 'Gone Goodbye' had not had a narrative voice over we may have been left guessing about who this man is, where he's going and why he's driving. We would probably as an audience would have to of seen footage of his relationship with his wife Catherine and how it had changed. However the use of a narrative voice over means that as an audience we are immediately understanding of the male protagonist's situation. 

by George Smale